Agitator for cyanid solutions.



PATENTED FEB. 13,1906.

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H. P. SMITH & F. J. HOBSON. AGITATOR POR GYANID SOLUTIONS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.15, 1905.

No. 812,460. PATENTBD PEB. 13, 190e. H. P. SMITH & P. J. Hosom. AGITATOR Fon GYANID SOLUTIONS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY P. SMITH AND FRANCIS J. HOBSON, OF GUANAJUATO, MEXICO.

AGITATOR FOR CYANID SOLUTIONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1906.

T0 @ZZ whom, t may concern.-

Beit known that we, HENRY P. SMITH and FRANoIs J. HoBsoN, citizens of the United States, and residents of Guanajuato, in the Republic of Mexico, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Agitators for Cyanid Solutions, of which the following is a specification.

Agitators have been devised for cyanid solutions, the object of which is to keep the pulp thoroughly mixed with the solution7 so as to bring all of the metallic particles in conn tact with it and also to bring free oxygen in the solution into contact with the cyanid and metallic molecules, so that a cyanid salt of the precious metal will be formed. Compressed air has been introduced into tanks containing such solutions for the purpose of agitating them and furnishing the free oxygen necessary to the efficacy of the cyanid process.

In carrying out the invention we provide by preference a circular or cylindrical tank and stirrer-arms mounted upon a shaft, to which rotary motion is imparted by any suitable mechanism. This motion is preferably a slow one, since the reaction is not particu- .larly accelerated by a rapid motion and the slow movement consumes less powerfor example, the arms may rotate two or three times in a minute, which would be sufficient. Each of the stirrer-arms carries a perforated pipe or other means of distributing air at the bottom of the tanks, the air being supplied, preferably, through a flexible hose. We also arrange the pipes so that they may be raised,

if desired, for changing the pulp or solution or for any other purpose.

The accompanying-drawings show an embodiment of our invention.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan of an apparatus designed to carry out the invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, on a larger scale, of the central shaft and means for supplying air, while Figs. 4 and 5 are details.

In Figs. l and 2 A is a tank of any usual form, preferably cylindrical. B is the central shaft operated by a worm and wheel, C C. The worm C is driven by any suitable prime mover. (Not illustrated.) The mo tion of the central shaft is slow, as already stated, and any form of reduction-gearing desired may of course be employed in order to permit commercial speeds of the motor. Shaft B is hollow, (see Fig. 3,) and pipe D passes through it, through which the compressed air is supplied to the hose D. Pipe D passes at its upper end through a stuffingbox E of any suitable construction. The hose D conveys the compressed air to pipes D2 D2 at the bottom of the tank. These are supported upon the stirrer-arms F F and move with the latter as they pass around the bottom of the tank. The construction is best seen in Figs. 4 and 5. In these figures a suitable step-bearing G for the hollow shaft B is shown attached to the bottom of the tank, the stirrer-arms F F being attached to the casting G, which supports the hollow shaft and revolves withA it. Each of the pipes D2 D2 is provided with vents d d, through which passes the compressed air, which, emerging at the bottom of the tank, finds its way upward through the liquid, supplying to the solution the free oxygen needed to make the reduction effective.

Fig. 4 is a plan of the parts shown in Fig. 5, the step-bearing, with its cap, forming a part of the hollow shaft being therein illustrated. The arms are shown broken away.

Referring again to Figs. 2 and 3, H H are guides fastened to the stirrer-arms, which permit the pipes D2D2 to be raised above the bottom of the tank, when the charge of pulp is to be renewed, or for any other reason. The flexibility of the hose D permits this to be done, and the guides insure the pipes being returned to their original position upon the stirrer-arms.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and wish to protect by Letters Patent of the United States, isl 1. In an apparatus for the treatment of ores, a tank and a shaft rotating in the tank, stirrer-arms connected to and operated by the shaft, guides upon the arms, pipes carried by the arms and movable in the guides, and a flexible hose connecting the pipes to a source of compressed air.

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2. In an apparatus for the treatment of ores, a tank'and a shaft rotating therein, stirrer-arms operated by the shaft, pipes carried by the stirrer-arms, and means for supplying the pipes with compressed air such means permitting the removal of the pipes from the solution in the tank at desired times.

HENRY P. SMITH. FRANCIS J. HOBSON. Witnesses:

H. D. WILDE, J. A ENDMEI'ss. 

